An NBA trade idea sending Dereck Lively II and Caleb Martin from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers has been created.
NBA writer Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report created the following trade idea between the Mavericks and Lakers:
Los Angeles Lakers receive: Dereck Lively II and Caleb Martin
Dallas Mavericks receive: Austin Reaves and a 2031 first-round pick
Why would the Lakers trade Reaves to the Mavericks, who traded Luka Dončić to Los Angeles in February? Here’s what Buckley wrote:
“He’s a really good player. He’s also not a great trade asset. His growth potential is probably limited by his age (27), and he might be super expensive by this time next year. One executive recently told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps that Reaves ‘will get $30 [million] plus’ on his next contract.
“The Lakers could cross their fingers and give him that kind of coin, but they could also flip him and a future first for Lively, who has established chemistry with Dončić and cornerstone potential on defense, and Martin, a reliable role-playing wing with a proven ability to perform on the postseason stage.”
Let’s just get this out of the way: this trade will NEVER happen. Nico Harrison will NEVER do a trade with Rob Pelinka again after he received death threats for trading Dončić last season. This NBA trade idea is just that, an IDEA.
The Lakers love Reaves and the Mavericks love Lively II. It’s unknown why Buckley even came up with this trade idea. In his defense, NBA trade ideas are usually random and unrealistic, so we won’t be too harsh on the Bleacher Report writer.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick is expected to start Dončić, Reaves, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James and Deandre Ayton next season, while Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd is expected to start D’Angelo Russell, Klay Thompson, Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis and Daniel Gafford.
Kyrie Irving will replace Russell in the Mavericks’ starting lineup once he recovers from his left ACL tear.